What Does a Application Architect Do?

An application architect is a professional who is directly involved in the process of creating the designs for various types of software products. The scope of responsibilities that the architect assumes will often depend on how the software company goes about the process of coming up with design ideas, writing the code for the software products and in general preparing the products for sale to the general public. With this in mind, there is no one set list of duties that an application architect will assume in every situation.

In most settings, the application architect will be responsible for defining the actual architecture of the software application. This means that the architect will be the one who seeks to ensure that the software actually does what it is designed to do. As part of the process, the application architect will often work with others on the design team, especially those who are focused on the preparation and execution of certain features inherent in the software. From this perspective, the application architect is concerned with overall functionality, but may identify specific glitches or inconsistencies in the software application, and work with others on the development team to resolve those issues.

Another common function of an application architect has to do with ascertaining how easy the software can be used by consumers. Here, the idea is to test drive the current version of the software and determine if the targeted consumer market for the software is likely to find it at least as easy to use as similar software products currently available. Often, this means that the architect has to be aware of current innovations taking place in the market, as well as the consumer demand for those products. This in turn helps the company to prepare and release a product that is highly likely to attract consumers and over time build a considerable presence in the marketplace in general, or in the niche markets targeted by the software manufacturer.

Just as a building architect focuses on designing a viable structure but leaves the actual construction to other professionals, the same concept is true for the application architect. The architect helps to create the design, makes sure it meets company standards and will be safe and easy for consumers to use. From there, the software can be passed along to others who actually arrange to package and market the software to business or residential customers.